THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 9, 2024
FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA IN ROME
THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]
KIND REMINDER: Please remember to continue to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory throughout the month of November
Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Saturday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time!
On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
“Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13
PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏
We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏
A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 9, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 9, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 9, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 9, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Saturday, November 9, 2024
Reading 1, Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
Reading 2, 1 Corinthians 3:9C-11, 16-17
Gospel, John 2:13-22
THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/
PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.
What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).
November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA IN ROME | MEMORIAL OF SAINT THEODORE TYRO, MARTYR AND SAINT BENIGNUS OF ARMAGH – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 9TH: Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (The Church of the Most Holy Saviour, Rome) and the Memorial of Saint Theodore Tyro, Martyr in Asia Minor and Saint Benignus of Armagh.
DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA IN ROME: The Church of the Most Holy Saviour, Rome or the church of Saint John Lateran in Rome is one of the four great Basilicas of the city, the other three being Saint Peter’s Basilica, Saint Mary Major’s Basilica and the Basilica of Saint Paul, situated outside the Walls of the ancient city. This is the oldest and ranks first among the four greater or patriarchal churches of Rome. These four basilicas represent the four great patriarchates, or ecclesiastical provinces, of the world. There are a number of churches in Rome and elsewhere that rank in honor as lesser basilicas but do not posses the special privileges of the greater basilicas. It was originally the palace of Constantine, adapted and dedicated under the title “Our Savior” to serve as the church of the Pope. The present archbasilica was built later, on the side of the original church, and is known as St. John Lateran, having been dedicated to St. John the Baptist. It is the Cathedral church of the Pope in his role as Bishop of the Diocese of Rome. It is called ‘Saint John’ after the two monasteries once attached, dedicated to Saint John the apostle and Saint John the Baptist. In ancient Rome this was the church where everyone was baptized. This feast became a universal celebration in honor of the archbasilica, the ecclesiastical mother church, called “the mother and mistress of all churches of Rome and the world”. A Latin inscription in the church reads: “Omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput,” translated, “Of all the churches in the city and the world, the mother and head.” Its universal celebration is a sign of love for and union with the See of St. Peter, Vicar of Christ.
The Temple of Stones is a Symbol of the Living Church. The dedication of the Lateran Basilica, called “mother and head of all the churches of the city and the world.” The original Basilica, the oldest church in the West, was erected by the Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Emperor, the first to be built after Emperor Constantine’s edict, in 313, granted Christians freedom to practice their religion. The emperor himself gave Pope Miltiades the ancient palace of the Laterani family, and the basilica, the baptistery, and the patriarchate, that is, the Bishop of Rome’s residence — where the Popes lived until the Avignon period — were all built there. The basilica’s dedication was celebrated by Pope Sylvester around 324 and was named Most Holy Savior; only after the 6th century were the names of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist added, and now is typically denominated by these latter. Initially the observance of this feast was confined to the city of Rome; then, beginning in 1565, it was extended to all the Churches of the Roman rite. The honoring of this sacred edifice was a way of expressing love and veneration for the Roman Church, which, as St. Ignatius of Antioch says, “presides in charity” over the whole Catholic communion (Letter to the Romans, 1:1).
On this solemnity the Word of God recalls an essential truth: the temple of stones is a symbol of the living Church, the Christian community, which in their letters the Apostles Peter and Paul already understood as a “spiritual edifice,” built by God with “living stones,” namely, Christians themselves, upon the one foundation of Jesus Christ, who is called the “cornerstone” (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17; 1 Peter 2:4-8; Ephesians 2:20-22). “Brothers, you are God’s building,” St. Paul wrote, and added: “holy is God’s temple, which you are” (1 Corinthians 3:9c, 17).
The beauty and harmony of the churches, destined to give praise to God, also draws us human beings, limited and sinful, to convert to form a “cosmos,” a well-ordered structure, in intimate communion with Jesus, who is the true Saint of saints. This happens in a culminating way in the Eucharistic liturgy, in which the “ecclesia,” that is, the community of the baptized, come together in a unified way to listen to the Word of God and nourish themselves with the Body and Blood of Christ. From these two tables the Church of living stones is built up in truth and charity and is internally formed by the Holy Spirit transforming herself into what she receives, conforming herself more and more to the Lord Jesus Christ. She herself, if she lives in sincere and fraternal unity, in this way becomes the spiritual sacrifice pleasing to God. Today’s feast celebrates a mystery that is always relevant: God’s desire to build a spiritual temple in the world, a community that worships Him in spirit and truth (cf. John 4:23-24). But this observance also reminds us of the importance of the material buildings in which the community gathers to celebrate the praises of God. Every community therefore has the duty to take special care of its own sacred buildings, which are a precious religious and historical patrimony. For this we call upon the intercession of Mary Most Holy, that she help us to become, like her, the “house of God,” living temple of his love.
“I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, that my name may be there forever.” ~ 2 Chronicles 7:16
PRAYER: God, out of living and chosen stones You prepare an eternal dwelling for Yourself. Multiply in Your Church the spirit of grace that You have given her, so that Your people may every grow into that building which is the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen 🙏
SAINT THEODORE TYRO, MARTYR: Saint Theodore Tyro (also known as Saint Theodore of Amasea and Saint Theodore the Recruit, 286-306), one of the oldest of the eastern martyrs. While little is known about his life, he is included in the Roman martyrology, and greatly venerated in the Eastern Church as one of the three “Soldier Saints,” with Saints George and Demetrios. St. Theodore was born into a noble family, probably near Alasium, Turkey, and enrolled in the imperial army while still just a boy. Drawn to the Lord at an early age, St. Theodore had converted, against the wishes of his parents most likely, and was almost immediately confronted with a significant dilemma upon entering the army. Having been assigned into his legion, although still referred to as a “tyro” (or recruit), St. Theodore marched with the army into Pontus. At that time, the Roman Emperor issued an edict that forcing all Christians to offer sacrifices. Failure to do so meant certain persecution and death.
St. Theodore was thus faced with the choice between apostasy and torture. When it came time for Theodore to prove his allegiance to the emperor, he courageously declared before his commander that he was ready to be ”cut up in pieces and offer every limb to the Savior Jesus Christ,” who had died for him,” rather than offer sacrifice to a false god. The commander, Praepositus Brincus, a relatively gentle man, left St. Theodore in peace for some time, hoping that would reconsider his decision. Not only did Theodore remain steadfast in his faith, but he also burned the temple of Cybele, the mother of the gods, with its magnificent idol. Immediately afterwards he was arrested and was executed by the zealous pagans by being thrown into a furnace. Joyously, and ready to be joined with his Maker, Saint Theodore made the Sign of the Cross, and filled with hope and love, climbed into the furnace which would be his coffin. Christian witnesses present at his death reported seeing his soul rise to heaven like “a flash of light and fire”.
PRAYER: O Heavenly King, Saint Theodore was a young soldier in the Roman army when he converted to Christianity. Though he was ordered to fight enemies of the empire, he believed that the devil was the only true enemy. Soon, he was killed for being a Christian, thus winning the battle against the demons who wanted to keep him out of Heaven. I ask him to pray for my fight against evil and temptation and to pray for all my loved ones during their battles. Help us, O victorious Jesus, to turn away from sin and to grow in holiness. Teach us how to always wear the armor of God. Saint Theodore, pray for us… Amen.🙏
SAINT BENIGNUS OF ARMAGH: Saint Benignus of Armagh (died 467 A.D.) was the son of Sesenen, an Irish chieftain in the part of Ireland that is now called as County Meath. He was baptised into the Christian faith by St. Patrick, and became his favourite and loyal disciple across Ireland. In 450 A.D. Benignus became coadjutor with St. Patrick in the Diocese of Armagh, and also became the first rector of the Catholic school there. St. Benignus was a talented singer and worked to form choral groups wherever they traveled for their missionary work; for this he was called “Patrick’s Psalmist.” He also assisted with the compilation of the Senchus Mor, the Irish Code of Law, and sat on a number of commissions, councils, and synods that helped further establish the Catholic faith across Ireland. His feast day is November 9th.
Saint Benignus of Armagh ~ Pray for us 🙏
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today, Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome | USCCB| https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Gospel Reading ~ John 2:13-22
“Jesus was speaking about the temple of His Body”
“Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus, while standing in the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem, identifies Himself as the Temple or sanctuary of God, ‘Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up’. Jesus was claiming that the place where God dwells among humanity was no longer the physical Temple in Jerusalem but Himself. St. Paul reminds us that we, the community of faith, the members of Christ’s body, are now the place where God wishes to dwell among humanity. As living stones in God’s building, God’s Temple, each one of us is called to reveal God’s loving presence to others. One of the reasons we gather in a building, a church, is to receive the grace and strength we need to be true to our calling to be living stones in God’s spiritual building. The Lord needs us to make tangible His loving and merciful presence in our world today.
Today, the Church celebrates the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. This Basilica is now the Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome. It is the church of the Pope in his capacity as Bishop of Rome. As the Cathedral Church of the Pope it has the title ‘Mother and Head of all the churches of the City and of the World’. There are many wonderful churches in Rome and throughout the world. Yet, we are all very aware that the church is not primarily a building, no matter how grand. The church is the community of believers who gather in the building we call a church. The most important religious building in the time of Jesus and the early church was the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. In the words of today’s responsorial psalm, it was ‘the holy place where the Most High dwells’. At a time when this Temple was still standing in all its glory, St. Paul in the second reading tells the Christians in Corinth, ‘you are God’s building… you are God’s temple’. St. Paul makes the extraordinary statement, ‘Don’t you realize that you are God’s Temple and that the Spirit of God is living among you?’ St. Paul is declaring that the Most High now dwells in the community of believers who gather around the risen Lord. St. Paul is reminding us that more fundamental than the building we call church are the people we call church. The church building is there to help us to express our identity as a people of faith, called to worship God through Christ in the Spirit. If our worship is to be authentic, the shape of our worship must become the shape of our lives. Our whole lives are to be a movement towards God, through Christ and in the Spirit. This is what it means to be church, to be the temple of God in the world, the living sign of God’s presence. In the Gospel reading, Jesus points to Himself as the temple of God in the world, the one through whom God is present in the world. This is the heart of our own baptismal calling, to become temples of God through whom God’s loving presence touches the lives of others.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, God has called all of us to holiness and to be worthy of Him, remembering that each one of us have received the Lord Himself, in His Real Presence through the Eucharist, and also have been sanctified and set aside by our baptism, and our whole initiation into the Christian faith and Church. Therefore, let us all be reminded of the need to keep ourselves as far as possible to be blameless and free from sin, and refrain from doing things that are contrary to God’s will and can lead us down the slippery slope towards sin and damnation. We have to do our best to guard and take care of ourselves to avoid falling into the many temptations, coercions and pressures all around us trying to drag us away from the path towards God’s salvation and eternal life. Let us hence live our lives to the best of our abilities, to be good role models and inspirations for one another in faith. Let us all be truly worthy of God dwelling and being with us all the time. Otherwise, if we fail to fulfil our respective Christian callings and missions, then it will be more difficult for us to come nearer to God. May the Lord give us the strength and the perseverance to remain firmly committed to Him despite the challenges and hardships we may have to encounter along the way, keeping our body, heart, mind, soul and our whole existences and beings free from sin, as the Temples of the Lord. Let us ensure that we always strive to uphold the sanctity and holiness of our places and worship, as well as our own beings, our bodies, minds, hearts and souls as well? As we rejoice today in the memory of the Dedication of the Mother Church of all Christendom today, let us all do what is tangible and possible for us, that is to keep ourselves truly holy and worthy of the Lord, by striving to be always obedient to His Law and commandments at all times. Let us all therefore commit ourselves anew to the Lord from now on, to dedicate and consecrate ourselves anew to Him, renewing the commitment we have made at our baptism, to be truly dedicated and worthy of God at all times, and to be holy and honourable as the great houses and churches of God, particularly the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran which dedication we commemorate today. Let us always remind ourselves and one another that we are God’s Holy Temple, the Houses of His Holy Presence. May the Lord continue to help, strengthen and guide each and every one of us so that we may always remain firm and strong in our constant devotion and commitment to God, to be ever faithful and good in everything we do in our lives, for the greater glory of God. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to remain faithful to our own baptismal calling, to become temples of God through whom God’s loving presence touches the lives of others. And may the Lord be with us all, and as He blessed the great Basilica of St. John Lateran, may He also bless us all in our future good works and endeavours. Amen🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:
MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd.
The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.
The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.
https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024
PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾
PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏
Let us pray:
My zealous Lord, Your heart burns with a deep desire to cleanse me and all Your children from sin. Your zeal reveals Your deep love and Your willingness to do all that You can to make me a fuller member of Your Body, the Church. Open my mind and will, dear Lord, to all that You wish to say to me and give me the grace to respond to Your purifying action in my life. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Theodore Tyro, Martyr and Saint Benignus of Armagh ~ Pray for us 🙏
Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and relaxing weekend🙏
Blessings and always, Philomena💖
Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
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